Anna Sultana's Minestrone with Garlic Croutons and Garden Soup / Christmases Past by Margaret Ullrich

Minestrone

In only a couple of days it will be 2022.
Another year is coming to a close, with its good and bad.
True, Covid-19 and its newest variant - with the potential for more variants - haven’t gone away.
But we have vaccines, we’re doing all we can to prevent the spread, and it will eventually run its course, just like other pandemics have.
So, on to 2022! We can do it!!

Along with our health, Covid-19 has been affecting the supply chains of just about everything.
When we couldn’t find old favourites, or even staples, on the shelves in our grocer’s, we’ve had to make some changes in our usual menu plans.
There’s been talk of food prices going up even more in 2022.

Sounds like it’s time to pull out the soup recipes.
Soup give us a chance to use up every bit of our vegetables, along with getting us extra value from the occasional roast's bone.
It’s like getting two meals for the price of one, or two half-price meals.
Either way you prefer to look at soup, it’s a budget’s best friend.


Italians and Maltese have been making minestrone for centuries.
As a result there are many variations, such as:

Rice and Pea Minestrone
Substitute chicken broth for beef broth.

Add 20 ounces frozen peas
.
Substitute 1/2 Cup white rice for the macaroni.

Minestrone con Carne
When you’re cooking the onion add
1/2 pound ground beef
Cook until the meat is browned.

Another good soup is Escarole and Little Meatballs Soup - Minestra.

If you’d like to serve a soup as a first course with a non-Italian meal then the Garden Soup recipe would be perfect.

Wishing you health, peace, joy and everything good in 2022!


Hints:

About the Minestrone…
If you have a bit more time and a bag of dried chick peas you can use them.
Place in a bowl
1 Cup dried chick peas
enough cold water to cover by 2 inches
Let stand for 4 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator.
If the chick peas appear above water level, add more water.

Drain the chick peas and place them in a pot with fresh water to cover by 1/2 inch.
Over low heat, bring to a simmer.
Cover the pot and simmer about 1 hour.
If the chick peas appear above water level, add more water.
When the chick peas are soft, drain and use as canned.


About the Garden Soup…
Don’t have a ham bone? You can use beef, lamb or poultry bones.
In a rush? Store-bought broth would do nicely.

If you prefer, you can leave out the salt pork or bacon and use 3 Tablespoons oil.
Instead of fresh spinach you can use thawed frozen spinach.
If you have fresh, use a few leaves each of mint, marjoram, basil, rosemary, and thyme.
Instead of the green or wax beans you can substitute fresh shell beans or 1/2 Cup dried navy beans prepared as you would the chick peas.



                                                               Minestrone and Garlic Croutons

Serves 8 to 12

Chop

1 medium yellow onion

Slice
1 Cup celery
1 Cup carrots
1 Cup zucchini

Finely shred
2 Cups cabbage

Drain and rinse
1 (1 pound 4 ounce) can chick peas


Place in a Dutch oven

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 Cup dried parsley
the chopped onion
Cook, stirring frequently, over low heat, until the onion is soft but not brown.

Add
4 Cups beef broth
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
the sliced celery and carrots
the shredded cabbage
the prepared chick peas
1 teaspoon dried basil, sage or oregano
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Add
1 Cup elbow macaroni
the sliced zucchini
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until the macaroni is tender.
Season with salt and pepper
Ladle into soup bowls.
Top with
the garlic croutons
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Some crusty bread and a salad would round out the meal nicely.

Garlic Croutons

Cut into cubes
8 to 12 thick slices Italian bread
Place on a cookie sheet
Toast in a 300ºF oven until the cubes are dry but not browned.
Place in a skillet
1/4 Cup olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
the toasted cubes
Heat and stir until they are golden brown.


                                                               Garden Soup

4 to 6 servings

Chop
2 onions
3 stalks celery
1/2 pound fresh spinach or other greens

Peel and dice
2 carrots

Put in a large stockpot
1 ham bone
Cover with water, and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour.

While the bone is simmering, place in a frying pan
1/4 Cup chopped salt pork or bacon
Cook over low heat until the fat is released.
Add
1 clove garlic, minced
several sprigs parsley
the chopped onions and celery
the diced carrots
Sauté lightly, without browning.

Remove the ham bone from the pot and skim any fat from the broth.
Cut off any bits of meat from the ham bone and return them to the pot.
Add the onion and carrot mixture to the broth and simmer for 1 hour.
Add
1 Cup green or wax beans, frozen or fresh
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon mint
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
4 large tomatoes, peeled and diced
the prepared spinach or other greens
1 Cup pureed winter squash or pumpkin
Simmer for 30 minutes.
Season with
salt and pepper
Taste and adjust seasoning
Serve hot, with a sprinkling of grated cheese.

                                                            ~~~

This was a holiday piece I wrote a few years ago for the CKUW radio show ‘2000 & Counting’ when we decided to chat about past Christmases… both good and bad.

I wish you all a very happy holiday season full of peace, health, joy and love.
And, of course, favourite foods.
Let's not forget television specials and Christmas music.

For those who don't know the story, the Christmas carol Silent Night was written in the nineteenth century because of a problem.      
In a small Austrian church the organ was broken and couldn't be repaired in time for the Christmas Eve Mass. So, in a couple of hours, Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber created a simple song that could be played on the guitar.
It was called the song from heaven.
      
On Christmas Eve in 1914, the German soldiers singing Silent Night brought a touch of humanity to World War l. The British soldiers responded with another carol, The First Noel. For a few hours, peace returned, thanks to music.


The first year I was on the CKUW radio show 2000 & Counting, Older and Wiser I prerecorded our two holiday shows. That year the holidays occurred on Tuesday, the day we usually broadcasted, and we wanted to be home.
I taped each person telling a story and their favourite Christmas carol recording.
The segments filled the two hours easily.

Normally we did our shows live and, as our listeners knew, we did make mistakes. 
With prerecording, we were able to edit them. We sounded pretty good.

      
Maybe that's the problem with modern life.
We hear recordings and see shows that have had dozens of retakes.
Sometimes they show the bloopers.
It's pretty funny to see that even big stars make mistakes.
But, most of the time, all we only see a smoothly running show where everyone always says the right thing, the dinner is cooked to perfection and all problems are resolved with everybody hugging each other within a half an hour.

It can leave one feeling like he's been cheated or that he should try harder.


The first Christmas was a stinker.  Being in a big city with no available rooms is not fun. Add to that Mary was about to have her first baby in a barn with just a carpenter there to help.
I don't think any Christmas has ever gone according to plan.
And maybe Christmas just isn't supposed to be perfect.


A first Christmas away from all that's familiar can be rough.
Our first married Christmas was a big change.
Paul and I are originally from New York City.  Tons of people.
I came from a huge family - a first generation immigrant family.
My parents and their siblings couldn't get enough of each other.     
But, there we were in 1972, all alone in Surrey, British Columbia.
The two of us in a basement apartment watching Perry Como's Christmas Special.
It was something from home for us.
This was in the days before Skype. We hadn't seen our relatives for six months.    
When we watched Perry Como, it was good to know our folks were watching it, too.
For an hour, we were all together.
Then we went to bed for a long winter's nap.
     
The next morning we awoke hearing our puppy happily yelping and splashing in water.
No, he wasn't in a basin or a tub.
     
Surrey in those days was very rural. 
There were open drainage ditches running along the lengths of the residential blocks. The ditch in front of our house had gotten plugged. The rain had soaked our lawn and was seeping through three walls of our apartment. We were rapidly being flooded.

We piled things onto our bed.
The folks upstairs helped us carry everything else into their apartment.
Within a half hour water covered about two feet of our first Christmas tree.
We were safe and dry upstairs, sharing a cup of coffee.
Then we heard our phone ringing.
My folks had said they would call on Christmas Day.
If we didn't answer they phone, they would worry.
This was in the days before cell phones.
Our only phone was on the table in our apartment.
Our flooded apartment.

We braved the icy water and the risk of electrocution to answer the phone.
We wished my folks a Merry Christmas.
Keeping our teeth from chattering, we made small talk.
No mention of of our apartment suddenly becoming a wading pool.
What would've been the point of worrying them?


Living in British Columbia is just a memory.   
Perry Como's Christmas Specials are just a memory.
My parents, also, are just a memory.
But thanks to memories, we can enjoy a Christmas from the past.


During the holidays people often feel a bit down.
If this is your first Christmas after a major loss or change, be gentle with yourself.
Forget 'the rules'. Do what will make it easier for you.

It won't be perfect.
So what?
It will be real… another Christmas memory.

Anna Sultana’s Roasted Chickpeas, The Winter Solstice and The Ursid Meteor Showers

December… Christmas… New Year’s Eve… 

It’s party time for sure!

And what’s a party without lots of snacks?

I recently posted the recipe for Ma’s Zucchini Dip.

Hope the summer squash recipe is being enjoyed now by readers south of the equator, and next summer by the rest of us.

Here’s a recipe that can be used by anyone, anywhere, at any time - Roasted Chickpeas.

Roasted Chickpeas make that lovely loud crunch, like potato chips. 

But, and here’s a great surprise, chickpeas are high in protein since they are actually legumes, like peanuts. 

They have been enjoyed for quite a long time.

Did you know that 7,500-year-old chickpeas have been found in the Middle East?

Chickpeas are also known as gram or Bengal gram, garbanzo or garbanzo beans, Egyptian peas, ceci, cece and chana or Kabuli chana.

In 1793 ground roasted chickpeas were used as a substitute for coffee in Europe.

During the First World War they were used this way in some areas of Germany.

Good to know if coffee prices go up again.

Here are a few more chickpea recipes:

Anna Sultana's Roasted Garlic Hummus 

Anna Sultana's Pasta E Ceci (Pasta and Chickpeas, Maltese Style)

Carmela Soprano's Pasta E Ceci (Pasta and Chickpeas) l Preparing Dried Beans

Hints:

You can season roasted chickpeas any way you like. Some suggestions:

Salted

Salt, garlic, and cayenne pepper

Creole or Cajun seasoning

Garlic, Parmesan cheese and rosemary

Sesame seeds and garlic 

Cinnamon and sugar 

Vegan bakers have discovered that the liquid from canned chickpeas can be used like egg whites, putting meringues back on their menus.

The meringues taste very sweet and are easy to make. 

You can also eat the unbaked meringue, like marshmallow fluff.

the liquid has to be from canned, not home prepared, chickpeas.

Sorry.

                        Roasted Chickpeas 

Arrange the rack in the middle of the oven

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F 

Drain in a strainer over a bowl, reserving the liquid (see Hints above)

One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans

Rinse the beans with water for a few seconds. 

Shake and tap the strainer to get rid of excess water. 

Lay a paper towel on a rimmed baking sheet, and spread the beans over it. 

Use another paper towel to pat and absorb any water on the beans. 

Place the beans in a bowl.

Drizzle over the beans 

1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

Toss the beans around to coat and season to taste. 

Spread the chickpeas in a layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, checking them occasionally to make sure that they do not burn.

The beans should be a deep golden brown and crunchy. 

About the sky this week, thanks to the folks at The Farmers' Almanac…

December 20 – Last quarter Moon, 8:56 p.m. The Moon appears as a half Moon in the sky. One-half of the Moon is illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is decreasing, heading toward the New Moon (invisible) phase.

December 21 – The Winter Solstice, 5:44 a.m. The Sun reaches its farthest point south of the celestial equator so it’s the shortest day of the year in terms of sunrise to sunset. The good news is that the days will start getting longer from here!

December 20 – 23 – Nature’s annual holiday light show, the Ursid meteor showers, are at their peak. Visible from the north all night, these meteor showers generally produce anywhere from 5 to 15 meteors per hour at their peak (usually on the first full night of winter, Dec. 22).  They are the dusty debris left behind in the orbit of Comet Tuttle. There have been a few occasions when the Ursids have surprised observers with a sudden outburst many times their normal hourly rate (over 100 per hour in 1945).

December 25 – The tiny waning crescent Moon will be at apogee, its farthest point from Earth in its orbit. 

December 29 – New Moon at 1:53 a.m. 

Anna Sultana’s Roasted Garlic Hummus, Salad Dressing and Onion Spread

We’re now officially having another cold January here in Manitoba.

The temperature is hovering at minus 30º C.

With the windchill it’s feeling like minus 40º C.

Yeah… that’s cold.

We were kidding ourselves back in December when we thought we were going to enjoy a mild winter during the start of 2016.

Well, Winnipeggers can dream, can’t we?

I recently posted the recipe for Roasted Garlic and Roasted Garlic Butter.

The butter isn’t the only thing you can make with roasted garlic.

Here are three more recipes.

But feel free to experiment and create a new family favourite!

Hints:

Don’t store any of these garlic recipes in plastic containers.

The scent tends to linger.

The amount of garlic cloves in the recipes is just a suggestion.

If you'd like a milder or stronger flavour, no problem.

Just use less or more garlic.

The roasted garlic gives the hummus and dressing a sweeter, milder taste than hummus made with raw garlic.

The kiddies might like the gentler garlic flavour with their fresh veggies. 

The mashed roasted garlic paste can be refrigerated in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Or frozen, if you’ve made more than you can use in a couple of weeks.

Roasted Garlic and Onion Spread is good served with cheese and crackers.

Or spread it on bread for sandwiches.

It’s particularly good with a Panini or in a grilled cheese sandwich.

You can also use it on garlic bread, garlic toast, bruschetta, crostini and canapé.

Freeze any Roasted Garlic and Onion Spread you’ll be storing for over a week.

                        Roasted Garlic Hummus 

Place in a blender

1 can (19 oz / 540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3 Cup olive oil

1/4 Cup lemon juice

3 Tablespoons water

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Pulse until smooth. 

Add by squeezing out into the blender

4 to 8 roasted garlic cloves 

Purée until well combined. 

Transfer to a serving dish.

Sprinkle over hummus

1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)

Serve it with crackers and vegetables.

                        Roasted Garlic Salad Dressing

For the Roasted Garlic Paste:

Squeeze into a small jar with a tight fitting lid the cloves from

8 whole roasted heads of garlic

Mash gently with a fork.

For the Dressing:

In a small jar with a tight fitting lid combine

1 teaspoon roasted garlic paste

1 teaspoon honey or sugar

1 Tablespoon vinegar

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Close the jar and shake vigorously or stir with a fork.

                        Roasted Garlic Onion Spread

Peel, roughly chop and place in blender

2 large sweet onions

Pulse until finely chopped.

Place in a medium saucepan 

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter

The chopped onions.

Cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes, until soft. 

Add by squeezing out into the pan of chopped onions

2 - 3 heads of roasted garlic

Cook for another 10 - 15 minutes, or until the excess moisture starts to cook off.

Add

1/4 Cup packed brown sugar

3 Tablespoons vinegar (wine or balsamic)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook, stirring often, for another 15 - 20 minutes.

The mixture should be thick and deep golden.

Taste to adjust the seasoning. 

Pour into a container with a tight-fitting lid.

Cool and refrigerate until needed.

Anna Sultana’s Chickpea Salad, Maltese Style

A few days ago I mentioned serving Ma’s Green Bean Salad with her Manicotti with Cheese Filling.

It is a handy salad to have in the fridge.

It improves while storing.

But, it is nice to have a choice.

Ma would often stock up on dried beans when they were on sale.

It didn't matter which - she used them all.

She often served us Pasta Fagioli and Pasta E Ceci.

She also prepared Chickpea Salad.

And so can you.

Hints:

Chickpea is another name for garbanzo beans.

If you don't have time - or want to use some canned beans you've bought -

Substitute 

2 19 ounce can of beans for 4 Cups of home prepared beans.

But first drain the can's liquid, rinse the beans and drain the water.

Dried beans are so easy to prepare.

Really.

Worried about 'the gas' factor?

Draining the cooking water will help prevent that.

No, I still don't know why.

Preparing Dried Beans

Place in a bowl

2 Cups dried beans

enough cold water to cover by 2 inches

Let stand for 4 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator.

If the beans appear above water level, add more water.

Drain the beans and place them in a pot with fresh water to cover by 1/2 inch.

Over low heat, bring to a simmer.

Cover the pot and simmer about 1 hour.

If the beans appear above water level, add more water.

When the beans are soft, drain and use as canned.

                         Chickpea Salad

Makes 4-6 servings 

Rinse and drain well

4 Cups prepared garbanzo beans

Place beans in a large bowl.

Add
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

Chop
2 cups plum tomatoes

Drain in a colander.

Prepare and add to the bowl with the beans

3/4 Cup red onion, chopped 
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced into lengthwise slivers

Add the drained tomatoes.

Wash and dry well
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley

Finely chop the herbs, add the the vegetable and combine

In a small bowl place

3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Whisk in

5 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Gently add the dressing to the salad

Add
salt and pepper to taste

Marinate at room temperature for an hour or two before serving.

Some prefer it when freshly made and before being refrigerated.

And then some like it after a longer marinating time.

Serving at room temperate is usually best.

Carmela Soprano's Pasta E Ceci (Pasta and Chickpeas) l Preparing Dried Beans

Along with the bills January, in the northern hemisphere, means winter.

And it’s been a brutally cold winter this year.

This is a soup recipe, great for making one feel warm and toasty.

Soup is also good for the budget.

The extra water is supposed to fill you up.

Back in 2010 I posted about a few recipes in Entertaining with The Sopranos.

About is the operative word - no ingredients, amounts and instructions.

Pasta E Ceci is one of those recipes.

I really thought instructions weren’t necessary, as I grew up with it as a staple.

Not everyone was so lucky.

Chickpeas were a basic food in Ma’s house.

Maybe your Ma called them something else.

Other names for chickpeas are garbanzo bean, ceci bean, channa and Bengal gram.

Chickpeas have a high protein content, and are very good for you.

Back to budget cooking…

Pancetta is Italian bacon made of pork belly meat that is salt cured and peppery.

Most grocers don’t even carry the stuff.  Don’t panic.

Some nice thick sliced bacon or ham would do.  Add some pepper.

Carmela's recipe calls for 8 ounces spaghetti, broken into bite-sized pieces.  

Don't go to any trouble.  Elbow macaroni will do just fine.

About the fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves…

If we’re talking budget, dried is cheaper, and you probably have some already.

Dried has a more concentrated flavour, so 1/8 Cup should do it.

Suit yourself.

If you're trying to use dried chickpeas, they'll need a little prep work in advance.

One Cup of dried chickpeas will give you an amount equal to about 3 Cups canned.

Dried chickpeas need to cook 1–2 hours, but will turn to mush when cooked longer. 

If soaked for 12–24 hours, cooking time can be shortened by around 30 minutes.

Preparing Dried Beans

Place in a bowl

1 Cup dried chickpeas

enough cold water to cover by 2 inches

Let stand for 4 hours, or overnight, in the refrigerator.

If the beans appear above water level, add more water.

Drain the beans and place them in a pot with fresh water to cover by 1/2 inch.

Over low heat, bring to a simmer.

Cover the pot and simmer about 1/2 to 2 hours (see above).

If the beans appear above water level, add more water.

When the beans are soft, drain and use as canned.

                        Pasta E Ceci

Serves 4 to 6

In a dutch oven pour

1/4 Cup olive oil

Add

2 ounces pancetta, chopped

Cook, stirring over medium heat, for 10 minutes.

You want the meat to be lightly browned.

Add

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

pinch of crushed red pepper

Cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden.

Add

2  16-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained

2 Cups canned tomatoes, chopped, with the liquid

1/4 Cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Bring to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes. 

Crush some of the chickpeas with the back of a spoon.

Add

5 Cups water

Bring to a simmer.

Add

8 ounces spaghetti, broken into bite-sized pieces

Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente.

Add some water if the pasta starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.

You want something resembling chunky soup.

Let cool slightly before serving.

Serve with

coarsely ground black pepper (or not)

Want another bean recipe?

Try Carmela Soprano's Pasta Fagioli - Pasta and Beans.

Baked Chicken with Curry Powder (East Indian Style) - Margaret Ullrich

Okay... if you're East Indian, this is 'same old, same old'.

You were probably weaned on it.

Time to go out and get a bucket of KFC.

But, if you're not East Indian, this will make the family sit up and take notice.

And you can use your home-made curry powder.

As mild or strong as you want.

Don't have chick-peas?

No problem.

Peas work well, too.

Frozen or canned.

                           

                        Chicken with Curry Powder

Season 

2 legs and 2 breasts 

with

salt and pepper

Brown in butter and oil.  Remove.

In the same pot, cook until translucent

1 medium onion, chopped 

Combine and add to onion in pot

1 1/2 Tablespoon flour 

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons honey

Cook, stirring until thickened.

Add

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 Cups chicken broth

1 Can (20 oz) chick-peas, drained 

                     

Replace chicken, cover with sauce (can be stored in the fridge).

Bake, covered in 350º oven 1 hour. 

Serve with green salad.

Heart Smart Eating

February is Heart Month.

Here are some tips from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.  

Please check out the recipes!

Be well!!

Top 10 tips for heart-smart eatingBy Cara Rosenbloom, RD

Choosing better-for-you foods and using heart-smart cooking techniques can help you control risk factors for heart disease, such as high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure. Here are 10 ways to be good to your heart. 

1. Cook heart-smart. Choose cooking methods that use less salt and calorie-laden fat. Steam, bake, broil or grill instead of frying. Reduce salt by avoiding bouillon or salty broth (use water instead); add lots of herbs and spices to enhance flavour.
   TRY: Making your own salad dressing and sauces.
2. Choose whole grains. The fibre in whole grains like oats, quinoa, whole wheat and barley can help lower blood pressure. People who eat more whole grains have a 29 percent lower risk of heart disease compared to those who don’t. Aim for 3-4 servings each day. 
   TRY: No-stir barley risotto.
3. Nix trans fat. Linked to clogged arteries and high cholesterol, trans fat is a no-no for happy hearts. Even a small amount is harmful. While the use of hydrogenated oil with trans fat has declined, it may still be found in some cookies, crackers and baked goods.
   TRY: Reading Nutrition Facts labels and only choosing items with no trans fat.
4. Control your portions. The amount we eat has increased over the past two decades. Choosing smaller portions can help limit calorie intake, which helps with weight control; being overweight is linked with heart disease.
   TRY: Using smaller plates and bowls.
5. Cut back on sodium. More than 70% of Canadian adults exceed their upper limit of 2,300 mg of sodium per day, which raises the risk of high blood pressure. And more than three-quarters of that sodium comes from packaged foods.
   TRY: Cooking from scratch more often and comparing Nutrition Facts panels to choose products with less sodium.
6. Max out vegetables and fruit. With their heart-healthy combo of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre, getting at least six daily servings of vegetables and fruit is a winning idea. 
   TRY: Starting meals with salad, snacking on fruit, and filling half your plate with vegetable side dishes. 
7. Eat more beans. Legumes such as kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils are high in cholesterol-lowering fibre. 
   TRY: Adding chickpeas or navy beans to salad, pasta and soup; throwing some in a blender with garlic, olive oil and lemon juice for homemade hummus; having edamame as an appetizer.
   TRY: Red beans and rice or Baked chickpea patties.
8. Cook from scratch. When you control what goes into your food, you can cook with less salt, sugar and fat, and add more vegetables and whole grains. 
   TRY: Heart and Stroke Foundation recipes to get started.
9. Drink skim milk: Since getting two or three daily servings of low fat dairy products can help reduce blood pressure levels, it’s important to have milk and yogurt in your diet. 
   TRY: Sticking with low-fat options such as skim or 1% milk and yogurt.
10. Enjoy fish more often: The healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fat found in fish may help decrease blood pressure and triglyceride levels, which helps lower heart disease risk. Aim for 2-3 servings (75 g) of omega-3-rich salmon, tuna, trout, sardines or mackerel each week. 
    TRY: Enjoying salmon or tuna sandwiches or sushi, or Orange glazed salmon.

Posted: February 2012 

Carmela Soprano and Anna Sultana's Pasta E Ceci (Pasta and Chickpeas, Maltese Style)

Sorry I'm a bit late with today's posting.  Yesterday was my sixtieth birthday and, as Bob Crachet said, I was making rather merry.

What're you gonna do?  Fire me?

Back to Entertaining with The Sopranos...  

It's amazing the way a good photo can make something simple look fantastic.  When I'm flipping through Entertaining with The Sopranos, I can understand how folks who never had to make these things can be impressed with the title of a recipe.  If it has a foreign name, even hot dogs and beans can seem exotic. 

Pasta E Ceci is a Mediterranean version of hot dogs and beans.  We're talking noodles and beans here.

This is one of those times when Carmela and my Ma are on the same wave length.  Well, okay, Carmela gets a little fancy.  She adds a couple of ounces of pancetta.  Since the recipe is supposed to serve 6, she's using the meat as a garnish.  

Ma served a more honest Pasta E Ceci.  Hers was meatless.  It made sense.  If you were having pork and beans you wouldn't expect to see a pork chop instead of that lump of lard that passes for pork.     

With or without pancetta Pasta E Ceci is a watery tomato sauce with garlic, crushed red pepper, 2 cans of chickpeas (you can find them right next to the pork and beans) and pasta.  

Carmela's recipe calls for 8 ounces spaghetti, broken into bite-sized pieces.  Don't go to any trouble.  Elbow macaroni will do just fine.  Since the sauce is a bit thin, it's eaten with a spoon, as a soup.  The extra liquid is supposed to fill you up.

Hey, if it wasn't the end of the month, you wouldn't be eating Pasta E Ceci.

Another recipe down.  Sixty-four more to go.